Wine will always be viewed differently than spirits or beer. Spirits will always be fun, festive, dancing, flirtatious etc. Beer will always be sports events, backyard parties and summer. Wine will always be sophisticated, food pairings, special occasions, deep conversations and mystery.

When wine, beer and spirits try to be something they are not, it can result in some pretty funny situations. If anyone saw the Yellow Tail commercial on during the Super Bowl, I think you know what I am talking about... a Kangaroo barbecuing in the backyard, hanging out on the beach, DJ’ing at 'da club'. It just didn’t feel right for wine. Any time a spirits brand tries to “sophisticate” itself, it reminds me when Las Vegas tried to make itself into a “family” vacation destination. Very difficult to walk with the kids down the Strip as people are snapping cards at you for “all nude reviews”. Eventually, Vegas went back to its roots… what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Beer forever tries to elevate itself above the $1.99 twelve pack, first party identity. No doubt, they have succeeded in elevating the quality and price with craft beer, but come on, how many beer sommeliers are there?

(AP Photo/File)

Just like spirits or beer will never be like wine, Tom Brady will never be Joe Montana.

I have been watching NFL football for over 50 years. I have seen every Super Bowl game on TV and have been to one in person (I don’t recommend it, much better on TV). I have seen the game go through major changes over the decades. I saw the basic football at the end of the 60’s, the grind it out running game offenses of the 70’s (see: Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburg Steelers), the cerebral West Coast offenses of the 80’s and 90’s (thank you Bill Walsh, you were a genius) and the pass happy, don’t touch the wide receiver or quarterback offenses of the 2000’s (Patriots).

If you have watched football through all those decades, you know that Tom Brady will never be Joe Montana. Nearly everyone has handed over the greatest of all time (GOAT) to Brady. I can’t blame them. I just don’t happen to agree. Both are/were incredibly talented athletes. Both played at big time college programs. Both were overlooked in their respective drafts by the genius NFL player personnel talent evaluators (I wish I could be wrong 90% of the time and keep my job) creating chips on their shoulders.

However, there are differences:

(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Joe won every Super Bowl he played in. No, let me correct that… Joe crushed his opponents in every Super Bowl he played in with a combined four game score of 139-63. He never threw an interception in a Super Bowl game. Brady has played in seven Super Bowls and won five of them. Every game has been a nail biter, and without the worst call in NFL history on the 2 yard line by Pete Carroll, the wins would be tied.

Brady will have his supporters with their facts, and I have to admit he is the second best quarterback I have ever seen.

There is one huge difference that people tend to overlook between the eras each of them played in... the 80’s were brutal. Quarterbacks were punching bags and wide receivers were mugged on the field. In today’s NFL, if you graze the quarterback's head with your hand when he is passing, it’s a personal foul. Brady has never been hit like Joe.

Montana was a slightly built guy, who took hellacious hits over the years (see: NY Giants Jim Burt hit on him in a 1986 playoff game) that would have broken men twice his size. He is one of the toughest human beings I have ever seen.

Beer and spirits will never be wine, and Tom Brady will never be Joe Montana. Or maybe, since Joe and I are about the same age and, just like my dad never thought anyone could be better than Willie Mays, I could be guilty of the same thing... nah, Mays was the best and so was Montana!